The Company Memo: Tuesday, January 15, 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during his final news conference of his first term at the East Room of the White House January 14, 2013 in Washington, DC....

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President Obama laid out a clear message to House Republicans who stand in the way of efforts to raise the $16.4 trillion debt ceiling, in the last press conference of his first term Monday: “I won.”

National Journal writes that the man at the podium Monday was “a man clearly convinced that the country that voted for him 10 weeks ago has his back today in his battles with Congress.” We’ll ask Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., about the President’s new clout—including a promise to bypass Congress on gun control and implement some of Vice President Biden’s recommendations by executive order.

Ford Motor Company made news this week, announcing it will hire 2,200 salaried workers this year to work in product development, manufacturing and information technology. Top executives are expecting steady growth in 2013, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally, is here to talk about it.

How about that trillion dollar coin? The Treasury Department nixed it as a maneuver around raising the debt ceiling…but what other options does the White House have if Congress refuses to budge on raising the debt ceiling? The Washington Post is digging into why we won’t hear President Obama talking up a debt ceiling backup plan.

Plus, Congress votes on part two of the Hurricane Sandy aid package Tuesday—a measure already meeting tough resistance from House Republicans, who argue the bill is full of unnecessary pork.